NYMPIIALINAE: VANESSA IIUNTERA. 467 



Pupation. Apparently tlie caterpillar often undergoes its final changes 

 in the enclosure which has last served it as a refuge ; a nearly mature 

 caterpillar, placed in a large tin box with a head of everlasting, made 

 below and in the head an open sort of cocoon (83:G4) to take the place 

 of the nest of which it had been robbed, spinning an excessively open web, 

 the irregular meshes of which were often a centimeter, generally 5-7 mm. 

 in diameter, and the cavity itself about as large as a pigeon's egg, and 

 finally transformed therein. When disturbed it swung itself with such 

 violence as to strike both sides of its enclosure. 



Life history. In New England there are two broods of this insect ; 

 the butterflies and occasionally the chrysalids of the autumn l)rood hiber- 

 nate ; the hibernating butterflies appear in the spring about the middle 

 of May ; the wintering chrysalids disclose their butterflies about the 7th or 

 10th of June, and these continue on the wing until the next brood appears ; 

 they lay their eggs during the first three weeks of June, and the caterpil- 

 lars are fully grown between the 25th of June and the 20th of July. The 

 chrysalis state lasts at least ten or twelve days, probably longer, for there 

 is no record of butterflies from eggs of the same year before the middle of 

 July ; they continue to emerge from the chrysalis until about the 5th of 

 August, and, as before, fly until the next brood appears; their eggs are 

 probably not deposited before August, in the latter as well as the early 

 part of the month. The caterpillars may be found throughout most of 

 August and September, the chrysalids throughout September ; butter- 

 flies of the second brood rarely appear before the 10th of September, 

 become abundant l)y the 20th, and during the latter part of the month are 

 more numerous than at any other time in the year ; they continue to 

 emerge from the chrysalis until nearly the middle of October, and some 

 are found on the wing throughout that month, after which they hibernate, 

 some of the chrysalids still unchanged. This last brood is alwavs the 

 most abundant. 



In the extreme south there are apparently four broods. Whether the 

 butterfly strictly hibernates there or not is uncertain ; but it undoubtedly 

 passes the winter in the imago state, as single specimens were seen by Dr. 

 Chapman in Florida all through February and March. According to 

 Abbot's observations, the earliest caterpillars are fully grown by the 7th 

 of April, and after passing from seven to twelve days in the chrvsalis 

 state, emerge as butterflies between the 17th of April and the Kkh of 

 May ; the second brood of butterflies appears by the 2 2d of June 

 (Abbot) and is common by the 1st of July (Gosse) ; records are want- 

 ing for the hotter months, but it is certain from Dr. Chapman's notes that 

 a brood (apparently the most numerous of the year) makes its appearance 

 in October, and continues on the wing until the end of November (or 

 until the next spring?). There must, therefore, be another generation in 



